News

VOLUNTEERS WIDENED THE CIRCLE AND ENRICH LIVES

During 2008 we continued to welcome groups and individuals who donated their skills, time, energy and heart to expand the scope of the services offered by the Health Care Project. For the seventh time the surgery team from Dayton, Ohio carried out a weeklong surgery campaign. The dedication of this team was inspiring as they performed complex surgeries under very simple conditions helping to make lives better! And we look forward to April 2009 as this service and legacy continues for the 8th time. For the first time, the Health Care Project welcomed Sonja Bontrager and a group of students from Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. This has been a significant and meaningful connection for Sisters Dani and Kris as Newman University is sponsored by their congregation, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ. Four young people, who are students at the Maria de Mattias Institute in La Labor, provided community service during the school year in the dental health education programs. Their sense of responsibility and enthusiasm in participating in the programs was refreshing. Our friends from various church groups also returned this year, continuing the tradition of support and sharing the gifts and grace of God among us. All of these wonderful experiences have helped develop long lasting professional relationships and personal friendships that connect and change the lives of everyone involved.

MEDICAL DIRECTOR BEGINS SERVICE

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Adela Jáuregui as the Medical Director effective January 1, 2008. Adela comes with 20 years of experience as a doctor and has been providing medical service with the Health Care Project for 7 years, during which time she has shown leadership and a deep commitment to living out the mission of the Sangre de Cristo Health Care Project. We welcome and support her as she begins this new responsibility.

MARGO BEGINS A NEW JOURNEY

It is with great sadness but with hearts filled with profound gratitude that we say farewell to Dr. Margo Young, CPPS who completed her time as Medical Director of the Health Care Project at the end of December, 2007. During these past 12 years Margo has given unconditionally of herself, always reaching out to others, sharing compassionate, heartfilled service with innumerable patients. During this time Margo also coordinated many medical campaigns that helped to provide otherwise unavailable specialized services for the communities of our area. These included the surgery campaigns that she developed with her colleagues from Dayton, Ohio and Rome City, Indiana. Responding to special needs, Margo did not limit her vision to our area as she mobilized the Health Care Project to reach out to others after the disasters of hurricane Mitch in 1998, the earthquake in El Salvador in 2001and hurricane Stan in 2005. In this same year, Margo spent 4 months sharing her gifts and talents with the victims of the Asian tsunami in southern India. Margo has also been instrumental in guiding the medical staff in the implementation of an interdisciplinary practice model with a focus on team interactions and personalized service which is now the hallmark of our medical clinics. Her unwavering leadership has helped the Project to grow and evolve into the wonderful service organization it is today. Her healing presence, wisdom spirit and welcoming smile will be greatly missed. Together we ask God's blessings and grace on her new endeavors and continued journey.

AWARD WINNING PROJECT - ONCE AGAIN!

For the second time in four years, in 2007, the Sangre de Cristo Health Care Project was named one of the top non profit health/educational organizations in Guatemala by the Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation in their annual "Helping Those Who Help" campaign. Our 4 primary school health education programs were the focus for this year's award. The national recognition and generous monetary award motivates us to continue our commitment of providing quality health services to those most in need. Join with us as we give thanks for this special gift that has been shared with our outstanding project.

Health Care Project goes on the Radio

At the beginning of 2006 the Health Care Project was invited by the University Radio Station to broadcast a program about the services of the Project. Since that first show in 2006 and throughout all of 2007, the Health Care Project participated once a month in the program Medical Classroom, providing information about community health services and instructing listeners how they can carry out the health promoting activities in their own homes and communities. Each month a different group from the Project shared their knowledge, expertise and accomplishments so that others could learn from our experience, thus allowing the impact and effect of the Sangre de Cristo Health Care Project to reach out on a national level.

Dental Services on Parade

In September, 2006, the personnel from our 2 dental clinics helped promote and participated in a parade sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive to celebrate Dental Health Month. Six schools from our area took part in the festivities which included a large rally at the end of the parade. As part of the activities, one of our participating schools was awarded first place for the demonstration show that they performed before the large crowd. A educationally fun day was had by all…including our two dentists who walked the 3 miles of the parade!

Celebration of 10th Anniversary

A milestone was reached and celebrated in October, 2005 as the Sangre de Cristo Health Care Project commemorated its tenth anniversary. Throughout the first week of October a number of activities were carried out to honor and celebrate the founding of the Health Care Project 10 years ago. These activities included free dental exams and cleanings, sharing of an anniversary cake with the patients from the different communities along with raffles, prizes and music at each clinic site, 10% discount on all lab exams, and a pack of vitamins for each person who came to the pharmacies during the week of celebration. A festive atmosphere was present as each clinic site decorated and displayed photos of the history of the Project. The Environmental Health and Sanitation team gave a series of 10 conferences centered on health, quality of life and the environment. These talks were carried out in the different communities where the Project serves in order to confirm and continue to share identification and solidarity with these communities. Sister Dani and 2 team members also participated in a radio interview about the services of the Project. The celebrations culminated on Friday, October 7 with a special luncheon for the Health Care Team and invited guests. This was followed by a community Eucharistic service that was attended by over 700 friends, supporters and beneficiaries of the Health Care Project. The celebrations continued into the night with a fiesta of tamales and music in the village park of La Labor, San Pedro Ayampuc.

Kim Shepherd: Colleague and Friend of Generous Heart

The Health Care Project team, patients and friends continue to remember fondly our dear friend Kim Shepherd. In April of 2004, we all were shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of Kim at home in Ohio. In addition to coordinating and doing the preliminary planning and setting up for four surgery campaigns, Kim shared her smile and presence in many ways with the people of Guatemala . Two hand painted murals by Kim grace the wall of one of the dental clinics. Each nurse's station has a colorful growth chart drawn by Kim and her way of sharing joy with kids was infectious as she handed out "Mardi gras" beads and small toys to those who came to the medical campaigns carried out up on the mountain. Kim shared her big and loving heart in such a way that it stretched from Dayton to Guatemala and back again, touching many people along the way. We thank our God for the generous time she shared with us and we miss her dearly.

Award from the Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation

We are proud to announce that on August 5, 2003 the Juan Bautista Gutierrez Foundation named the Sangre de Cristo Health Care Project as one of the top not-for-profit health/educational organizations in Guatemala. From a field of 139 participants in the Foundation's annual "Helping Those Who Help" program, we were awarded third place, which in addition to the national recognition also included a generous monetary donation to help continue the services of the Project.

Accepting the award from the Juan Bautista Guttierez Foundation

Maria De Mattias Named a Saint

On May 18, 2003, the Sangre de Cristo Health Care Project, along with the Maria De Mattias Secondary School Institute, celebrated here in La Labor, the canonization occurring in Rome, Italy of Saint Maria De Mattias, foundress of the religious congregation, Adorers of the Blood of Christ. In addition to assisting at the celebratory Mass, Project members provided a station with health screenings during the day's activities and members of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Team presented a workshop on Recycling. Over 1,500 people joined with the family of the Maria De Mattias Institute to rejoice in this memorable recognition of their patron and namesake.

Celebrating the canonization of Saint Maria de Mattias

Click here to see a list of Friends of the Project